Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1887-01-14
About Wool.

hDOut SvOoi'
A most interesting report has lately been
published by the National Academy of
Sciences upon the characteristics and quail
tiles of wool. which contains great deal
of interesting information even if the
facts are not always new.
Farmers make one classification of wool
and manufacturers another. Generally
the former use the terms fine and coarse !;
and The latter the terms telling and worsted
or in other words carding and combing
woods. The telling or carding woods are
generally associated with the production
of yolk or oil, and these natural substances
are found in vastly larger proportions in
the best carding woods than in any Of the
combing woods. The Merno type is the
basis of production OF what are agricultur
ally called the Zine" woods. These are
used in broadcoths and cassimeres, the
various grades being used in numerous
kinds of fabrics Growers Of the Merino
type give but very little attention to NUT
ton or size of carcass.
The worsted or combing woods are as
class or type longer and coarser than the
lelting woods, the tibres are straighter, and
there is very little OF the animal secretion
called "yolk' accompanying it. The wool
is dryer, the serrations or curls are rela-
lively fewer and less distinct, The breeds
producing these woods are the numerous
coarse woolcd or mutton breeds. SO many
breeds produce wool of this grade that
there is much wider range of character
in these coarse commercial woods. than in
the finer telling ones.
Sheared wool is known in the markets
as live wool; that taken from sheep
pel,s as dead wool; and that taken from
animals less than nine months old as
lambs wool.
Chemically wool isl highly heterogeneous
compound. very similar in composition
20 nails, boots and horns of ami
mails. 1t absorbs from ten to twelve per
ttui. u It's weight VI Ndtti, "HlVH II ~
tains with great tenacity. so much so in
fact that it is often difficult matter to
thoroughly and completely dry it. 1t is
remarkable also for its property of absorb
ing grease, oil, and other animal sub
stances.
The "yolk" of the Merino breeds is
chemically, natural soap, which is not
easily soluble in water. In some in
stances this yolk constitutes above 60 per
cent Of the total weight of the unwashed
fleece; but as the wool of the different
breeds diminishes in quantity, the flores
become coarser, the staple longer. and the
yolk disappears. The long and middle
wooded breeds of sheep have but very
little of this volk or natural soap.
Wool varies in length from one inch to
more than foot. and in tineness of fibre
from less than 1880 of an inch in
diameter TO more than l. 400 of an inch.
This would represent variation from the
finest fur to the coarsest hair. There are
also the following differences in the
natural characteristics of wool. |, In
strength of fibre; >. in its elasticity
under a pulling strain; 5. in its elasticity
under torsion and bending 4, in flexibilitv;
5. in harshness or sottness to the touch
6. in its telling. fulling. carding, combing
qualities; Z. in the quantity and chemical
character of its natural secretions, as
amount Of "yolk"; s. in its color and
lus,re 3, in its behaviour in receiving
colors or dyes.
Practically, the conditions OF climate,
soil. feed, water. high or low-land pastures
affect in one way or another the above
named differences in the quality OF wool.
A hock of sheep which produce
certain uniform quality of wool
in one locality. will not always
produce precisely the same quality
when taken to another place. Moreover
food. and the general health of the ami
NAL effect the quality as well as the guam
tity of the wool. and its mechanical and
chemical characteristics. A change of
feed in flock of sheep has been known
to produce such change in the staple of
the wool, that an expert could tell exactly
by examining the fibre where the change
in iced was made.
Wool coming to marke: just As it grew